Amusement device



LE ROY RAYMOND.

AMUSEIVIENT DEVICE.

APPLICATION FILED MAYZIG, I920.

Patented Dec. 13, 1921.

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V Y APPLICATIONFILED Mf-Y261920.

LE ROY RAYMOND. AMUSEMENT DEVICE.

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l 4v l f6 2s) 3/ a/ 35 "1 -z5 Patented Dec. 13, 1921.

LE ROY RAYMOND. AMUSEMENT DEVICE. APPLICATION FILI-:D MAY 26, 1920.

mma Dec. 13, 1921;

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Patented Dec. 13, 1921.

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UNITED STATES PATENT LE ROY RAYMOND, 0F OCEAN PARK, CALIFORNIA, ASSIGNOI-t 'ro .1in-Noti) Nanna AND WLLXAM DENZEL, ESTE?. 0F NEW YORK.,

AMUSEMENT DEVICE.

Application lcd May 26,

vices or apparatus. The object of the invention is to provide an amusement device embodying the popular conception of a Noahs arlr. To this end the invention contemplates a structure in the form of a boat house adapted to be operated to roclr like a boat. The structure is mounted in a tank filled with water, or it may be mounted on a pier which already is in the water. The structure contains a plurality of show or amusement devices for the entertainmentrof the public who visit the boat. Other objects of the invention are to provide means for operating amusement devices fromthe machinery on board the boat or adapted to be actuated directly by the movement of the boat. Also to provide means whereby said device or apparatus may be conveniently7 installed in amusement places or public parks.

TWith the above and other objects in view my invention is embodied in an amusement device constructed and arranged as hereinafter set forth and as illustrated in the accompanying drawings in which- Figure l is a view in elevation of the `one oa srucur s wiiO eramhsbtt teho ibthfr e work thereof, with the tank in section and certain subterranean features also in section; Fig. 2 is a plan View of the tank, showing the. boat structure in outline and in section.

Fig. 3 is an end view of the frame structure of the boatand illustrates the supporting means therefor.

. Fig. 4 illustrates an amusement device operated by the movement of the boat.

Fig. 5 is a detail view of the power plant or machinery for operating the device.

Fig. 6 isa plan view of the machinery.

Fig. 7 is a detail view of the supporting pivot-s for the boat. c

Fig. 8 is a perspective view of the completed structure.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Bec. 13, 192i.. 1920. Serial No. 384,503.

9 is a sectional vieu7 of an amusement device operated partly by the machinery of the boat and partly by the movement of the boat.

The amusement device herein dial comprises houseboat structure prer built of wood to resemble the popular conuception of what a Uoahs ark should look like. The structure is mounted in a tank to rock about the transverse airis of the stsuctnre. order complete the illusion the houseboat contains a great number of amuseniert devices, such as mechanical animals, tric furniture, diflicult passageways and the like. Subterranean passages and devices are arranged, partly for amusement purposes and partly for the purposes of ining soie of the machinery. lxeferring to l and 2 there is provided certain subterranean passages and wells as follows. r)The numfrals l0 denote wells adapted to contain counterweights or balancing weights hereinafter described, and which are connected by a main passageway il having sloping floors l2 for drainpurposes. F rom the passage ll extends a passage 13 in under the vessel communieating -`Yith the interior t through a suitable outlet or openi 0' as at lll. Another passage i5. extends *if as it were and terminates in chamber l@ over which is built a structure i? resembling the head and forward portion of huge whale. The chamber 16 and the whale head may be used for amusement purposes. From the passage another passage 18 leads to a second sul terraneous chamber 19 over which may be built a structure 2O resembling a submarine which is diagrammatically indicated in Fig. 2. A by-pass 2l leads-to the chamber i9 from the main passage l1. A window 22 may be inserted in said by-pass2l to serve as a screen or partition through which amusement features may be observed from the chamber 19. The said passages and chambers are all suitably lined as shown.

Above the aforesaid passages the ground is suitably prepared and a floor 24 laid upon proper foundation members 25. The floor 24 forms the bottom of a shallow tank 26 having sides 27 and 28 and containing water 29. Included in the floor construction are `deck 37 and railing members 38.

certain pivotal base members 30, see Fig. 7. rlhe said members are provided with lower pivot plates 31 upon which rest upper pivot plates 32 secured to a transverse boat pivot member 33. 'lhere may be several of the said' pivots arranged along the boat piv oted member 33, see Fig. 3, and the said member preferably extends Vcentrally of the boat transversely thereof. Y

Gn the member 33 there is supported a suitable boat floor construction 35 which supports a vessel structure 36 containing a A house or superstructure 39 is erected on thedeck 37. The said several structures are made preferably ofv lumber and no attempt has been made to indicate in the drawings the exact manner of shaping or joining the sev-l eral units and members, it being obviously a work within the purview of persons skilled in the art of making structures of the types indicat-ed. @n the deck a suitable machinery room 40 may be partitioned off. In addition the entire houseboat will be filled. with amusement features, which, however, are not shown. A suitable bridge 41 leads from the groundto a main ent-rance 42 on the deck 37. The bridge may be 'hoisted vby means of cables 43 so as to close the entrance to the Structure.

ln the machinery room is located a power plant operated from a small electric motor or other prime mover 45 which drives a flywheel 46 by means of a belt 47 From the flywheel shaft 48 an air compressor 49 is driven by a belt 50. The compressor is piped to the storage tank 51 from which air is taken as it may be needed to operate some of the amusement devices installed on the boat. By means of gears 52 and 53 a shaft 54 is driven from the shaft 48. On the shaft 54 is secured a cam 55 which operates an oscillating member 56 pivoted at 57 and to which cables 58 areattached and from which other amusement devices may be operated. The shaft 54 drives a third shaft 59 by means of gears 60 and 61. On the shaft 59 is mounted a crank wheel 62 which oscillates a main rocking member 63 pivoted at 64 through the instrumentality of a link 65. By Vmeans of another link 66 a member 67 pivoted at 68 is oscillated to operate cables 69 secured to said member. It will be seen therefore that means are provided, namely the cables aforesaid, for operating the amusement devices on the boat from the power plant. v

In the aforesaid wells 10there is in each well erected a framework 70 within which a' relatively heavy weight 71 is adapted to move vertically. Below said weight is anV auxiliary weigh-t 72 which is attached by a cable 73 to a bellrcrank 74 while another cable 75 passes'from the bell crank tothe main rocking member 63 aforesaid, Va turn buckle 76 affords the means for required adjustment. The main weight 71 serves as an anchor and rests Vnormally on suitable supporting means 77. The cable 73 passes through-the main weight or anchor through a pipe 78 therein. The weights are preferably boxes filled with sand. y

During` normal operation thev main rocking member serves to rock the boat by pulling against the main weight atv eitherend alternately, each weight being heavy enough to serve as an anchor. If, however, too many people should gather at one end of theboat so as to overcome the weight of the anchor 71, the latter will be lifted off its supporting means 77 in that the auxiliary weight lwill be pulled up against the main weight. The auxiliary weight serves to keep the weight cables taut. e Y Y The steady operation of the power plant and the rocking member 63 withV its equal alternate pull at either end of the boat on the weights there imparts a slow steady rocking movement to the boat fore and aft giving an excellent imitation of the natural rocking orl swaying motion of a Vvessel at anchor. In order to prevent water from entering the weight wells, the lcables pass upward through pipes 79 extending to above thewater level. v v Y As explained above, the boat contains amusement features'of various sorts and description. Fig. `4 illustrates such a feature operated solely lby the movement ofthe boat in the tank. In `the said figure the numeral 8O represents atable which is secured at 81 to the tank floor 24. 82 is a seat similarly secured. 83 is another seat secured at 84 to the boat flooring 35. the boat rocks downward on the right hand side, a person sitting on the seat 82 will suddenly feel the floor move away from his feet, while a person sittingon seat 83V will be moved down with respect to the'table. NVhen the boat rises, the personen seat 82 `.will feel the floor pushing upward against his feet, while. the person sitting on seat83V Y will havethe sensation of being'suddenly Y Vmoved up into the air awayfrom the table It follows that when Yilo housing 39 is the head'91 of anelephant coni structed of lumber, canvas, plaster ori other similar materials. a disk 92 pivoted at its center to a shaft 96 The head vkis mounted onV on a bracket 93 which extends across the said opening 90 and to the said shaft there is attached a pendulum weight 94.V VItfwill be; seen that the rocking of the boat will oscillate the elephants head on the shaft 96 as the pendulum tends to maintain a vertical position.

In addition, the elephants trunk 97 may be raised and lowered regularly by means of the cable 98 secured to bell crank 99, to which another cable 100 is attached which, passes through the shaft 96 and is operable from the two armed lever 101 which is pivoted at 102. @ne of the aforesaid cables 58 or 69, see Fig. 5, may be attached to the lever 101 to regularly raise and lower the trunk.

There is thus herein disclosed two examples of amusement features installed on the boat. lt will be understood Without further illustration that similarly numerous other features may be, and in fact are installed on the boat.

It will further be appreciated that although the invention herein is disclosed in its preferred form, it is susceptible of changes and alternations within the scope of the appended claims within the principle of the invention.

I claim:

1. ln an amusement device the combination of a shallow tank, a vessel pivoted therein, said vessel being in the form of a houseboat and having substantiallly its entire body projecting above the said tank, anchors located below the said tank, a rocking member mounted on the said vessel and connected to the said anchors and means on said vessel for actuating said rocking member to oscillate the said vessel on its pivot.`

Q. In an amusement 'device-the combination of a tank adapted to contain water, a houseboat structure pivoted in said tank on the floor thereof, a plurality of amusement devices in said houseboat structure, mechanism for oscillating said houselooat struc` ture in the water in the tank, means for operating some of the said amusement devices from the said mechanism and means for operating other of the said amusement devices by the movement of the said houseboat structure.

3. In an amusement device the combination of a tank having a floor, a plurality of subterraneous wells below the said floor, a houseboat pivoted on the latter, anchors p0- sitioned in the said subterraneous wells, mechanism. for oscillating the said boat and connections between the said anchors and the said mechanism.

4. In an amusement device the combination of a tank, a vessel therein, subterranecus wells arrange beneath said tank, anchors in said wells, mechanism for oscillating said vessel connected to said anchors and means communicating between said wells and the interior of the said vessel.

5. In an amusement device the combination of a tank, a vessel therein, wells arranged beneath said tank, mechanism for oscillating the vessel in the tank, normally lixed anchors supported in the said wells, connections between said anchors and the said mechanism and auxiliary weights adapted to be operated to lift the said anchors when the said oscillating mechanism acts against an abnormal load.

6. In an amusement device the combination of a tank containing water, a vessel in said tank, wells arranged underneath the latter, mechanism in said vessel for oscillating the same, anchors in said wells adapted to rest in normally predetermined positions by gravity, auxiliary weights in said wells, connections between the said auxiliary weights and the said oscillating mechanism, said connections extending upward through the said. weights and the said tank to the said mechanism, said auxiliary weights being adapted to raise said anchors to counterbalance abnormal loads on the said oscillating mechanism.

LE ROY RAYMOND. 

